"Currently more than 500 cards have been issued and as many as 16,000 farmers have applied for the ePI cards which will provide access to an entire series of services in one stop," the ministry sai in a press release on Friday.
The card is a form of credential with the highest security level and provides farmers with a digital signature when applying for support from the AGRONET system. It will replace all existing ID cards used so far such as the green farmers' card, blue diesel card and so on.
The new cards should relieve the administrative system and ensure automated applications which should accelerate various procedures.
A new online application will combine various agencies and bodies in the agriculture sector, hence improving the exchange of data and accelerate communication in the sector and on future web and mobile platforms such as e-Agriculture, m-Agriculture and e-Consulting, the ministry explained in its press release.